Westland Letters to the Editor

What would it mean to our city, our region and our state to boast a unique attraction that draws visitors from multiple states, supports our community with revenue for businesses, encourages the arts and enhances our city’s progressive reputation?

Such a unique attraction is in the works. Hopefully, this vision will be a reality right here in our Westland community. It’s an art village, a community resource for our residents and children, much like ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, which has expanded to support the arts in so many ways.

As part of the community team working to achieve this, I’d like to introduce you to our concept. Our team consists of John Glenn alumni and city residents past and present. Many of us have our families and careers here, in and around the community. We want to give back to the community that means so much to us.

The property known as Hawthorne Valley, bordering Hines Park at Warren and Merriman Roads, is the perfect location for this “Westland Art Center.” Much like ArtPrize, our center will display work from local and national artists.

But we won’t stop there. You’ll be able to take classes, walk through sculpture gardens, taste food prepared onsite by local chefs or enjoy music from musicians in amphitheaters or while strolling through the gardens. You and your family can take those classes from established artists, chefs and musicians or just come to enjoy a cup of coffee and relax on a Saturday morning.

Our project team of successful people from many organization types is working hard to ensure our success. Despite this, it’s not enough. Such an art center requires commitment from our entire community of city leaders, business leaders and residents to embrace and support this vision. Working together we can create something unique in Westland.

The Hawthorne property location is essential and provides an excellent opportunity for our nonprofit venture. However, there’s currently an alternative option for this property.

On Sept. 6, the city council votes on approval of a sale to a storage facility business. This would mean immediate revenue for the city and a possible reduction in the cities responsibilities to maintain the property. As a local businessman, I certainly understand the challenges in cost control. I also understand the value of innovation, creativity and unique benefits a project such as the art center brings to our community in the long term.

Our team is ready to deliver that value. To accomplish it, we need your support. It won’t be easy. There will be many challenges. Together we can surmount the challenges and achieve our vision. The legacy we create will benefit generations to come and countless people young and old. We urge you to contact your city representatives and/or show your support at the coming council meeting.

As I tell my fellow workers: If it were easy, everyone would do it. Only those willing to go the extra mile can create extraordinary results. We’re willing. Are you?

David M. Miller, President

Duo-Gard Industries, Inc.

Morally bankrupt

In regards to the EpiPin allergy device sold by Mylan I have this to say: The CEO of this company says no one knows what anything costs.

They are a public company trading at nearly double what they did two years ago. Reportedly the CEO is a child of a United States Senator from West Virginia, Joe Manchin.

My friend, a doctor, adds:

"Every other country limits what pharmaceuticals can cost the patient, and I use the word patient, not consumer. A consumer chooses to buy or not buy...but forcing people to choose between food or life saving medications is deplorable.

Big Pharma is not innovating, they are repackaging 50-year-old medicines and finding clever ways to fudge their bottom line to fool investors. And also remember "their" big discoveries were financed by our tax dollars funding the NIH research that ultimately led to novel therapies.

These people are just morally bankrupt.

Alfred Brock

Wayne

What’s Republican or Democratic?

In a recent poll a majority of Americans self-identified as politically conservative and would logically lean Republican as voters. Questioning that, I did a little polling research of my own and found that a majority of Americans support free college, increasing Social Security benefits, removing the salary cap on earnings subject to Social Security tax, expanded and improved Medicare, a government health insurance option, single payer health care, increased education spending, increased infrastructure spending, subsidies for clean energy development, higher taxes on the wealthy, Medicaid expansion, government negotiation of drug prices, a $15 minimum wage, paid family leave, subsidized child care, equal pay for equal work, unions and unionization, immigration reform with a path to citizenship, decreased military spending, making voting easier, increased environmental protection, a woman’s right to choose, stronger regulation of banks and Wall Street, expanding the food stamp program, expanded background checks on gun purchases and an assault weapons ban.

The fact that a majority of Americans self-identify as conservatives but solidly support the above list of liberal initiatives leads me to believe that many Americans are very confused about what conservative, and for that matter, what liberal means. The Republican Party, the conservative alternative of our two major parties actually opposes directly or in spirit most if not all of the initiatives listed above within their 2016 Republican Party platform. One must vote straight Democratic to support and advance the initiatives listed above.